Material-unwinding device



Patented July 17., 1928.

* UNITED STATES- PATENT OFFICE.

SIDNEY nLMnn nonenson, or CHICAGO, rumors, ASSIGNOR T WESTERN ELECTRICCOMPANY, moonroaarnn, or NEW YORK, n. Y., A oonrona rron on NEW YORK.

MATERIAL-UNWINDING DEVICE.

Application filed September 30, 1926. Serial No. 138,612.'

This invention relates to material un- Winding devices, and moreparticularly to a StIfllNlllIlWlllQllHg' device for stationary supplyspools.

5 The principal object of the invention is the provision of a simple andinexpensive unwinding device for supplies of material wherein thetensionupon the material is maintained substantially uniform undervarying conditions.

In accordance with the invention there is provided in one embodimentthereof a'suitable housing within which is enclosed a ver ing detaileddescription, reference being had to'the accompanying drawing, whereinFig. '1 is aside elevation, partly in section, of a strand unwindingdevice embodying the features of the present invention,

and v Fig. ,2 is a fragmentary plan view, partly in section, of thedevice shown in Fig. 1.

Referring now to the drawing in detail, the numeral indicates,generally, an inverted cup shaped housing having secured thereto anannular base plate 11. A. portion of the housing 10 is cut away and asliding door 12 is provided whereby a supply spool 14 may beconveniently positioned in place upon the base 11. Guiding blocks 15projecting upwardly from the base 11 serveas a means for properlypositioning the supply spool within the housing 10.

' Formed inthe upper side of the housing 10 is a concentric hub 16within which is rotatablyjournaled a bushing 18. Secured to an enlargedportion 20 formed at the lower end of the bushing 18 is a fliercomprising a pair of oppositely disposed arms 23 and 24 which arepreferably designed to extend across the upper head of the supply spool;The flier arm 23 is provided with a dependin portion 25 having a guidesheave 26 rotata 1y journaled at the end thereof.

5 vention will become apparent in the follow-i A second guide sheave 27is rotatably carried by the arm 23 and is disposed immediately above andin vertical alignment with the guide sheave 26.

Supported within the housing 11 is a stationary brake drum 28 which isarranged concentric with respect to the bushing 18. A brakeshoe 29pivotally carried by an outwardly projecting arm 30 formed integral withthe flier arm 24 is provided with an 'arcuate portion 3l designed toengage the outer surface of the brake drum, as best shown in Fig. 2.

'Pivotall'y supported in suitable bearings formed in the flier arm 24-is a spider-like member 32 having upwardly v and downwardly projectingarms 33 and 34, respee' tively, and a third arm 35 extending towards thecenter of the housing 10. An adjustable pin '36 threaded in the free endof the arm 33 is positioned to engage the brake shoe 29, A tensionspring 38 serves to normally rotate the member 32 in a clockwisedirection (Fig. 1) causing the pin 36 to press the brake 'shoe 29 intooperative engagement with the brake drum, thus retarding the freerotation of the flier. The

spring 38 is fastened at one end to the downwardly projecting arm 34 ofthe member 32 and connected at its opposite end to an adjustable pin 39threaded in an enlarged end portion 40 of the flier arm 24.

Rotatably carried upon the free end of.

the arm 35 of the member 32 is a guide sheave 41, the peripheral grooveof which is in vertical alignment with the rotating axis of the bushing18. The strand passes from the supply spool over the guide sheaves 26,27 and 41 and then upwardly through the bushing 18 The sheaves 26 and 41are provided with suitable guards 42 and 43, respectively, for retainingthe strand within the peripheral grooves thereof.

In the operation of the above described mechanism, the pins 36 and 39are adjusted in accordance with the amount of tension which it isdesired to maintain in the strand being unwound. It is apparent that byturning the pin 39 the tension of the spring 38 may be varied and thusthe effectiveness of the braking mechanism may be increased ordecreased. When the tension on the moving strand tends to increase abovea predetermined point, which may be due to the strand supply diminishingor for any other .from vertically positioned supply reels it.

reasons, the guide sheave 41 moves upward ly causing the pivoted member32 rotate in a counter-clockwise direction against the tension of thespring 38. This decreases the braking pressure of the brake shoe 29 uponthe brake drum 28, thereby permitting the flier to rotate more freelyuntil'thetension in the strand has returned to normal. If, on the otherhand, the tension on the strand tends todecrease below a predeterminedpoint, the braking pressure of the brake shoe 29 is increased due to thetension of the spring 38 and thus the free rotation of the flier isretarded until the tension in the strand has returned to normal. Thusthe tension in the moving strand is maintained substantially uniformthroughout the unwinding operation.

Although the invention is herein illus-' trated and described inconnection with mechanism for unwinding strand material should beunderstood that the novel featurr i thereof are capable of otherapplications within the scope of the appended-claims.

What is claimed is:

1. A material unwinding device comprising a housing for enclosing asupply of material, a, take-ofi flier including a rotatable bushingthrough which material is withdrawn from said housing and a pairofoppositely disposed arms extending transverse- 1y from said, bushing,material guiding means including a rotatablemember carried by one ofsaid arms, and means carried by the other arm for maintaining thematerial under uniform tension. 1

2. A'stl'and unwinding device comprising a housing for .enclosing astrand supply spool, a strand take-off flier including a bushingrotatably mounted in said housing and a pair of oppositely disposed armsextending transversely from said bushing, a

plurality of rotatable grooved members for guiding the strand from thesupply spool through said bushin and means responsive to the tension 0the strand for maintaining the strand under uniform tension at alltimes. m3

3. In a device for unwinding strand material from a stationary supplyspool, a support, a flier-rotatably carried thereby, a plurality ofrotatable members carried by the flier for guiding the strand, thestrand engaging surface of one of the rotatable members being inalignment with the axis of the supply spool, and means associated withsaid last mentioned rotatable member for maintaining the strand under auniform tension.

4. Ina device for unwinding strand material from a stationary supplyspool, a support, a flier rotatably carried thereby, said 'fliercomprising a tubular member disposed in axial alignment with the supplyspool and a pair of oppositely disposed arms extending transverselytherefrom, a plurality of strand guiding sheaves carried by one of 'saidarms, and means carried by the other arm for maintaining'the strandunder-a uniform tension, said last mentioned means comprising a memberpivoted intermediate its ends, a brake member carried at one end of thepivoted member for normally engaing the su port under pressure to retardthe rotatlon of the flier, and a strand engaging sheave mounted upon theop osite end of the pivoted member whereby the retarding effect of thebrake member is varied in response to variations in the tension of thestrand.

Inwitness whereof, I hereunto subscribe my name this 13th day ofSeptember A. D., 1926.

SIDNEY ELMER BORGESON

